Girl dies, GNLA abducts 6 workers

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Shillong, April 6: Eight-year-old Pyara Begum, a victim of GNLA terror attack, succumbed to her injuries in Tura civil hospital this evening. In another incident today, six employees of a Garo hills-based exporter were abducted by the militant group from Gausapara coal export point, 35km from Baghmara, the headquarters of South Garo Hills district.

West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi said today that in retaliation to the gunning down of four GNLA cadres yesterday, a group of suspected GNLA militants hurled two hand grenades at 8.15pm yesterday at a residential area at Lokaichar near Kaliachar, around 70km from Tura.

A girl who was injured in the grenade attack died at Tura civil hospital at 6 this evening. Bakshi said he, along with the senior police officials, would visit the family tomorrow and hand over Rs 1 lakh as immediate relief.

There will be a review meeting in Tura, which will be attended by CRPF, BSF and the state police convened by the deputy commissioner to discuss better coordination to thwart the terror attacks.

According to Bakshi, the attack can be seen as revenge on the part of the GNLA, for gunning down four of its cadres yesterday.

Regarding the kidnapping incident, South Garo Hills superintendent of police M.K. Singh said two GNLA cadres came at 1am today to Gasuapara, close to the Bangladesh border, and abducted six employees of the coal exporter Henning Sangma.